Ottorino Respighi

July 9, 1879: Ottorino Respighi is born at Via Guido Reni 8 in Bologna, Kingdom of Italy, the son of Giuseppe Respighi, a postal worker and amateur pianist, and Ersilia Putti, daughter of a sculptor.

June 24, 1900: Variazioni sinfoniche for orchestra by Ottorino Respighi (20) is performed for the first time, in Bologna.

June 24, 1901: Prelude, Chorale, and Fugue for orchestra by Ottorino Respighi (21) is performed for the first time, at the Rossini Music School, Bologna. It is a final examination for Respighi, who conducts.

January 23, 1902: An Aria for strings and organ by Ottorino Respighi (22) is performed for the first time, in Bologna.

June 8, 1902: Three works by Ottorino Respighi (22) are performed for the first time, in Bologna: A Piano Concerto, the Berceuse for strings and a Piano Quintet. The composer plays the first violin part in the quintet.

January 31, 1904: Fantasia slava for piano and orchestra by Ottorino Respighi (24) is performed for the first time, in Bologna.

March 12, 1905: Re Enzo, a comic opera by Ottorino Respighi (25) to words of Donini, is performed for the first time, in Teatro del Corso, Bologna.

March 11, 1906: Two songs for voice and piano by Ottorino Respighi (26) are performed for the first time, in Bologna: Nebbie and Nevicata, both to words of Negri.

May 23, 1907: Suite in E major for orchestra by Ottorino Respighi (27) is performed for the first time, in Teatro Duse, Bologna.

January 6, 1908: Notturno for orchestra by Ottorino Respighi (28) is performed for the first time, in New York.

November 20, 1910: The poema tragico Semirama by Ottorino Respighi (31) to words of Cerè is performed for the first time, in Teatro Comunale, Bologna.

March 17, 1911: Aretusa for mezzo-soprano and orchestra by Ottorino Respighi (31), to words of Shelley, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Comunale, Bologna.

April 23, 1912: Series no.1 of Sei liriche for voice and piano by Ottorino Respighi (32) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.

April 19, 1913: Ouverture carnevalesca for orchestra by Ottorino Respighi (33) is performed for the first time, in Bologna, directed by the composer.

January 24, 1915: Sinfonia drammatica for orchestra by Ottorino Respighi (35) is performed for the first time, in Teatro Augusteo, Rome.

March 11, 1917: The Fountains of Rome, a tone poem by Ottorino Respighi (37), is performed for the first time, at the Teatro Augusteo, Rome. Also premiered is the second set of Impressioni dal vero for orchestra of Gian Francesco Malipiero (34).

March 16, 1917: The new Società Nazionale di Musica gives its first concert in the Accademia Santa Cecilia in Rome. The society is organized by Alfredo Casella (33) and includes Ottorino Respighi (37) and Gian Francesco Malipiero (34). It will soon change its name to Società Italiana di Musica Moderna.

December 16, 1917: The first suite of Ancient Airs and Dances for orchestra by Ottorino Respighi (38) is performed for the first time, in Teatro Augusteo, Rome.

February 22, 1918: Deità Silvane for high voice and 15 instruments by Ottorino Respighi (38) to words of Rubino is performed for the first time, in Rome.

March 3, 1918: Sonata in b minor for violin and piano by Ottorino Respighi (38) is performed for the first time, in Bologna, the composer at the keyboard.

January 13, 1919: Ottorino Respighi (39) marries his former pupil Elsa Olivieri-Sangiacomo, a singer and composer, in Rome.

June 5, 1919: La Boutique fantasque, a ballet with music of Gioachino Rossini (†50) arranged by Ottorino Respighi (39), is performed for the first time, by the Ballets Russes, in the Alhambra Theatre, London.

April 11, 1920: Ballata delle Gnomidi, a symphonic poem by Ottorino Respighi (40), is performed for the first time, in the Teatro Augusteo, Rome.

November 20, 1920: Three ballets arranged by Ottorino Respighi (41), to choreography of Leonidov, are performed for the first time, in Teatro Costanzi, Rome: La pentola magica, to Russian folk music, Fantasia Indiana, to music of Glinka and Rimsky-Korsakov, and Canzoni arabe, to music of Borodin (†33) and Rimsky-Korsakov.

November 27, 1920: Ottorino Respighi’s (41) choreographic comedy Scherzo veneziano, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Costanzi, Rome.

November 1, 1921: The American Academy jury chooses Howard Hanson (25) as the first Frederick Juilliard Fellow. He will study with Ottorino Respighi (42).

January 29, 1922: La sensitiva for mezzo-soprano and orchestra by Ottorino Respighi (42) to words of Shelley is performed for the first time, in Prague.

February 5, 1922: Concerto gregoriano for violin and orchestra by Ottorino Respighi (42) is performed for the first time, in Rome.

April 13, 1922: La bella addormentatanel bosco, a fiaba musicale by Ottorino Respighi (42) to words of Bistolfi after Perrault, is performed for the first time, in the Teatro dei Piccoli, Rome, in a version for marionettes. See 9 April 1934.

March 4, 1923: La Primavera, a cantata by Ottorino Respighi (43) for solo voices, chorus, and orchestra, to words of Zarian, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Augusteo, Rome.

April 26, 1923: Belfagor, a lyric comedy by Ottorino Respighi (43) to words of Guastalla after Morselli, is performed for the first time, at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan.

November 7, 1924: The second suite of Ancient Airs and Dances by Ottorino Respighi (45) is performed for the first time, in Cincinnati.

December 14, 1924: The Pines of Rome, a symphonic poem by Ottorino Respighi (45) is performed for the first time, in the Teatro Augusteo, Rome.

December 31, 1925: Concerto in modo misolidio for piano and orchestra by Ottorino Respighi (46) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York the composer at the keyboard.

March 4, 1926: Three works by Ottorino Respighi (46) are performed for the first time, in Amsterdam, conducted by the composer: the Third Suite of Ancient Airs and Dances, for orchestra, a Concerto in Mixolydian Mode for piano and orchestra, and Poema autunnale for violin and orchestra.

December 1, 1926: Poema autunnale for violin and orchestra by Ottorino Respighi (47) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.

February 25, 1927: Vetrate di Chiesa for orchestra by Ottorino Respighi (47) is performed for the first time, in Symphony Hall, Boston.

September 28, 1927: Trittico botticelliano for chamber orchestra by Ottorino Respighi (48) is performed for the first time, in Vienna.

November 18, 1927: Ottorino Respighi’s (48) opera La Campana sommersa to words of Guastalla after Hauptmann is performed for the first time, in the Stadttheater, Hamburg.

June 6, 1928: Impressioni brasiliane for orchestra by Ottorino Respighi (48) is performed for the first time, in São Paulo. Also premiered is Respighi’s Gli uccelli for chamber orchestra. The composer conducts both.

November 23, 1928: A Toccata for piano and orchestra by Ottorino Respighi (49) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York, the composer at the keyboard.

February 21, 1929: Roman Festivals, a tone poem by Ottorino Respighi (49), is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

November 7, 1930: Metamorphosen, Modi XII by Ottorino Respighi (51), composed for the fiftieth anniversary of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, is performed for the first time, in Symphony Hall, Boston.

November 22, 1930: Two works by Ottorino Respighi (51) are performed for the first time, in Siena: Lauda per la natività del Signore for three solo voices, chorus, and nine players to words attributed to Jacopone da Todi, and Suite della tabacchiera for two flutes, two oboes, two bassoons, and piano four hands. Both are directed by the composer.

May 14, 1931: Afternoon. Arturo Toscanini is instructed to lead his orchestra in the fascist hymn Giovinezza at a concert this evening in Bologna to commemorate the composer Giuseppe Martucci. He replies that the anthem is not required simply because a member of the government is present. As the conductor arrives at the theatre his car is surrounded by fascist youths and he is slapped in the face. He returns to his hotel. Black shirts are stationed at the doors to the theatre. On hearing the news of the events, Ottorino Respighi (51) leaves his box and attends Toscanini at his hotel. A fascist demonstration ensues below the window of Toscanini’s hotel room. Local fascists move into the hotel. They are confronted by Respighi who elicits from them a promise of safe passage for Toscanini out of Bologna tonight.

January 23, 1932: Belkis, regina di Saba, a ballet by Ottorino Respighi (52) to a scenario by Guastalla, is performed for the first time, at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan.

March 16, 1932: The mystery play Maria egiziaca by Ottorino Respighi (52) to words of Guastalla after Cavalca, is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York, the composer conducting a semi-staged production. See 10 August 1932.

August 10, 1932: The mystery play Maria egiziaca by Ottorino Respighi (53) to words of Guastalla after Cavalca is staged for the first time, in Venice. See 16 March 1932.

December 17, 1932: Corriere della sera of Milan, Il popolo d'Italia of Rome, and La Stampa of Turin publish "A Manifesto of Italian Musicians for the Tradition of Nineteenth-Centry Romantic Art" signed by several luminaries of Italian music including Ottorino Respighi (53). It attacks modernism in Italian music, especially Malipiero (50) and Casella (49) (although not by name), and advocates a return to Romanticism.

May 11, 1933: Concerto a cinque for oboe, trumpet, violin, double bass, piano, and string orchestra by Ottorino Respighi (53) is performed for the first time, at his Villa “The Pines” in Rome.

January 23, 1934: La fiamma, a melodramma by Ottorino Respighi (54) to words of Guastalla after Wiers-Jenssen, is performed for the first time, in Rome.

April 9, 1934: La bella dormente nel bosco, a fiaba musicale by Ottorino Respighi (54) to words of Bistolfi after Perrault, is performed for the first time in the version for child mimes, in Turin. See 13 April 1922.

April 20, 1936: A funeral mass in honor of Ottorino Respighi takes place in the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo in Rome.

February 24, 1937: Lucrezia, an opera by Ottorino Respighi (†0) to words of Guastalla after Shakespeare, and completed by his wife, Elsa Olivieri Respighi, is performed for the first time, in Teatro alla Scala, Milan.

February 14, 1974: Several articles appear in China commenting on Ottorino Respighi’s (†37) Pines of Rome, played by the Philadelphia Orchestra in Peking last September. It is criticized as a “bourgeois work,” “weird and bizarre,” and indicative of the “nasty, rotten life and decadent sentiments.” Beethoven (†146) and Schubert (†145) are also attacked.